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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: root · current · mate · roll · stick · pit · court · rock

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. mate — to breed
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. court — of law
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — of a word
  9. court — of a king
  10. current — happening now
  11. pit — in a race
  12. current — of water
  13. rock — a stone
  14. court — for sport
  15. roll — a list
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. root — the cause
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rock — music
  21. roll — a cake
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. pit — a hole

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com